A Prescription for Romance at Lumber Exchange Event Center

Wedding Date: August 31, 2019

Bella Tran and Travis Wong met in a pretty conventional way: in a class at the University of Minnesota (in their case, Sociology 1001). Travis’ proposal, however, was anything but: In a park in Montpellier, France, on a trip that was part of a gift for graduating from pharmacy school. The day before the wedding, the couple shared a traditional Vietnamese tea ceremony at the bride's parents’ home before the rehearsal dinner. “It was very special to be able to celebrate this cultural tradition with loved ones from near and far,” Bella says. She also wore her ao dai, a traditional Vietnamese wedding dress, designed by her mother and made in Vietnam. The reception combined the modern vibe of the Lumber Exchange with a bohemian feel, courtesy of handmade wooden table numbers and other décor made by the bride and a bridesmaid, plus a wealth of florals that featured bright pops of orange. The speeches by the bride’s and groom’s siblings made for memorable moments, along with a coordinated mother- son dance that not only involved great moves but required some fancy lip- synching—and eventually prompted everyone to take to the dance floor.